Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-02-10

The meeting OF tbs merchants held u
New York City Saturday evening last x
saks some action relative 10 the defense
les condition. Of cur seaeoest vas an i'm
peftant one. for the reason that IL dec
not seem possible 10 urge Congress IN
this matter In any other way than b.
making q popular demand 90 load and
determined that il will be compelled 4
hesd Il. The resolutions passed 81 the
meeting declares that our coast defensei
are NOS in condition TO cop With mod.
ern ordnance and armored war vessels
and that any delay In meeting this
emergency Il criminal neQliRence, and
therefore Congress 10 respectfully bal
urgently called upon 10 anthorizs the
expenditure Of such sums as SHALL, In
the opinioB Of compstent authorities
place The barboF OF New York and ali
other import ant eeapoTts Ia state OF
complete defense. The resolution
Should have been 80 worded as to in
clude the lake ports. which, In case OF
var, especially should IL grow out OF
the fisheries complications, would be in
as much danger as the City Of New
York. There is no probability thai
Canada will recede from the uniaslif-
able position she has taken, and shoald
the President decline TO exercise the aa-
thority with which be Is invested, it il
only q question Of tins how soon the
Yankee fishermen will resent the out
raees perpetrated upon them. In that
case, a. senator HOaE said, il will be be-
yond the power Of Congress 20 avert
var. We shonld be dragged into Il IN a
dafenseless condition, 50 far as opera
lions BY water are concerned. Another
warning comes IN the official dispatches
from Ottawa that the D0mion Govern
Eas nt has received assurances from Eng
land that men-of-war viii be dispatched
IN The spring 10 cooperate With the
Canadian cEaiseFs IN enforcing the Do
minion view Of the question, which
means the still more rigid exclusion Of
American vessels from any rights IN
Canadian waters. -
Al the New York meeting no particu-
lar system OF defense vas advocated.
Is vas only urged that the money should
Be appropriated. and this SHOULD be
done 10 any extent that Il needed II
probably woald not cost over &200,-
oo0,0oo, the amount estimated by the
Ordpsnce Board, 70 put all our ports IN
= complete state Of defense; and what
Il 10 be done should be done At once, a.
u takes q long time 10 produce guns,
vessels. aud fogtifcations. In this Q. n.
neotion Gen. SheFldan has proposed q
system Of sanksn fsFtihcatious which
has already been described in the Trf
basae, and which should command the
attention OF the Government ct onos.
His plan. In brief, IL % eIcavafe toe
forts. making what may be called huge
riae-pits, protect their rims with stee
plates. and elevate or deprsss the guns
with hydraulic or pneumatic powtR
when they are In use. Pits Of this Kind
vouid present no target for an cnamy's
guus, and II the new aiE-Run were used
there would Be neithef smoke nor sour q
to locate them. The aunnsrs also would
be veil prstected IS well as the auns.
In submitting bis system, which We be. |
lieve originated In England. Gen. Shsri- |
dan modestly says '.It il tue result Of |
mach thoaRht. Is offered with much |
hesitation, because il con6iets with the 1
views Of many for vhom | entertain TIE |
highest personal and Official respect;
bat balleve IN Il and feal that at this |
Iiue. when the suhiest Of cossa d.
lens esia enllstsre the serious attention
u the NAiioB. shaald be negieotine a
duty II failed 20 present ID |
Tor confederation The practsesbility
1f Gen. Sheridan's Suggestions can only /
BE- known By testing them. II thsy are
aot practical, then something else must
Be substituted. Al present We are do.pc
aothine. The Nev Ysrk resolutions DO
bot exAzgerate the situation whsn thew
aAaFactsriza the non-aetian Of Caaerses
u criminal neRlsst. IL h the hight Of
lhAnrdity for senators and Representa-
lives 10 talk about var when We are net
preparcd 20 cope With 9 third rate
o1er.--C Aicsgo 1rttaas.